Around Campus

UNF earns Princeton Review’s ‘best value’ again

By Cathy Cole

The University of North Florida is among the nation's top 75 “best value” public colleges and universities, according to the Princeton Review.

UNF also was named a best value public college last year as well as in 2009 and 2007. This is the latest in a long series of national awards UNF has received from ranking agencies from across the world of higher education.

“UNF has been recognized by some very elite organizations and is showing up on nearly every national college ranking,” UNF President John Delaney said. “In addition to the University’s strong academic programs, UNF just makes financial sense and has one of the lowest tuition rates in the country.”

UNF was the only Northeast Florida institution of higher learning to make the list. It is among only five universities in the entire state to be featured on the annual list, including the University of Florida, Florida State University, University of Central Florida and the New College of Florida.

The Princeton Review teamed with USA TODAY to present its list, “The Princeton Review Best Value Colleges for 2012.”

The list, which salutes 150 undergraduate schools in all — 75 public and 75 private colleges and universities—is posted on the websites of The Princeton Review and USA TODAY.

Around Campus

Take a tour of the new Biological Sciences Building

The construction crews have packed up and the move-in has already started.

The University of North Florida’s newest landmark, the glass-encased Biological Sciences Building is getting ready for the scores of students who will soon occupy its pristine interior.

The multi-purpose, $39.4 million was finished under budget and ahead of schedule and paid for completely through Public Education Capital Outlay funds earmarked for construction.

While the building isn’t completely outfitted just yet, some lecture classes have already moved in. This summer will mark its first semester in full use. But for those who just can’t wait to check out the University’s newest addition, Courtney Hackney, director of the Coastal Biology Flagship Program, and Zak Ovadia, director of Campus Planning, Design and Construction highlight some of the unique features in the Biology Department’s new home.

VersatilityThe new Biological Sciences Building is an exercise in architectural versatility. Most of the teaching spaces were designed for multipurpose usage by professors and researchers. The teaching labs are connected to smaller prep rooms in which instructors can prepare for classes without having to leave the building. The labs are also research ready to give the students a real-world perspective of working in a fully functional research environment, Ovadia said. There’s space for a variety of configurations to accommodate both benches or equipment-driven research projects.Going greenOvadia said the building was built to adhere to the campus’ requirements for sustainable buildings. This will be the seventh green building on campus since 2005. Most of the other facilities on campus are Silver LEED Certified, but Hackney said the Biological Sciences Building could pursue Gold certification, which requires a higher standard of green compliance. That commitment to sustainability is evidenced everywhere. The widespread use of glass promotes visibility without the need for obtrusive lighting. The building’s air system was also designed to work smoothly with a minimal energy footprint.

Special features and cool techIt all comes down to the details for the new Biological Sciences Building. The facility is outfitted with specialized labs for aquatic biology classes and research and offers access to a seawater system. The seawater circulates through the entire building and is pumped from a 6,000-gallon tank housed in the bowels of the facility. The water is specially shipped from Marineland and ideal for research purposes. The non-slip floors keep everyone on their feet even in the wet world of aquatics research. There is also a specialized necropsy lab in which marine researchers can examine or dissect sea creatures. It’s the only lab of its kind in a four-state region, and Hackney said state and federal officials may call on UNF when they need access to such a high-tech facility. Even the top floor is decked out with a roof-top greenhouse housing plants used in teaching labs as well as living corals and other marine life for use in both teaching and research labs. The greenhouse is temperature- and moisture-controlled so students and faculty can tweak the living conditions of the their botany projects. Architectural touchesWhen the building was being constructed, Hackney said the faculty asked for function before flash. After all, the biology professors are currently housed in six different buildings currently and could use some space of their own. But he said the architects made a few flourishes that make the building both incredibly functional and aesthetically pleasing. It’s hard to miss the biology vocabulary words engraved in the building’s façade. But a real architectural highlight is etched into the glass walls on the conference rooms leading up all three floors. The Tree of Life, which represents and lists the evolution of all living creatures, is carefully engraved in the glass.

Dedicating the buildingThe entire campus community is invited to experience the beautiful new Biological Sciences Building during a dedication ceremony Friday, March 30 at 10:30 a.m. The ceremony is scheduled for Darwin’s Garden, the building’s center courtyard. The Garden is filled with foliage native to Northeast Florida.

Just the factsConstruction started: July 2010 Cost: $39.4 million (paid for by state PECO funds)Specs: Four stories, 116,500 square feet, 17 teaching labs and 28 faculty research labs for aquatics, virology, ecology, genetics, physiology, molecular biology and molecular cell biology and the Coastal Biology programDesigners: Perkins + Will and Harvard Jolly Construction firm: Ajax Building Corporation

Around Campus

Anthropology students step outside the classroom to map Middleburg cemetery

By Matt Coleman

The library is the typical spot for undergrads to escape the bustle and racket of college life and focus on their work.

A few University of North Florida anthropology students have found an even more secluded location to chip away at their research. It’s a place so quiet that the only souls around haven’t made a noise in decades.

Three UNF anthropolgy seniors — Genevieve Day, Rissia Garcia and Karen Lowery — have been mapping the layout of the cemetery attached to the historic United Methodist Church in Middleburg for the past few months under the supervision of their faculty adviser, Dr. Gordon Rakita.

The cemetery has been in use since the 1860s, and the students have been working to paint a clearer picture of the grounds, which encompass about 670 occupied and 300 unfilled burial plots.

To accomplish their goal, they’ve studied headstone orientation, analyzed patterns in child burials and used advanced equipment, such as ground-penetrating radar, to properly map the grounds for an accurate depiction of how the cemetery has grown over the centuries. Like any good hands-on learning opportuntiy presented by the University, this is work work the students would definitively want to put on a grad-school application or job resume.

“I think these experiences are exactly the sorts of things potential employers or graduate school programs are looking for in candidates,” Rakita said. “If you were going to hire someone or admit them into your academic program, you would want to make sure they would be able to actually do the things they’ll need to do to be successful. It’s one thing to have an undergraduate degree listed on your resume — it’s another thing entirely when you have a grant proposal, publication, or field experience listed. Those sorts of things are going to move a candidate to the top of the list.”

Rakita said the idea for the project sprang from UNF’s involvement and reputation in the Northeast Florida community. The church, an idyllic, white single-steepled building nestled in a corner off Main Street, has long catered to the burial needs of the local community. But the passage of time had made it difficult to accurately map the grounds.

Church caretaker Sandra Wilson said they wanted to ensure they didn’t encroach on any occupied plots when planning new burials.

“We knew the University would have the equipment to help us out,” Wilson said, as she probed the leaf-matted cemetery ground with a long, thin metal rod used to detect subterranean anomalies. “They can be more precise than we can be with this stick.”

Rakita answered their call for assistance and worked with his students to turn the community exercise into a full-fledged research project. This experience, he said, will be invaluable resume fodder to the undergrads who made the effort — and the drive — for the past few months.

“One of the wonderful things about working in the community is that students get to see how the things they learn inside the classroom can actually be applied to real-world problems,” he said. “ When the students are out in the cemetery, they are surrounded by real-world examples. As they explore those examples and try to make sense of the things we’re seeing, they often have to integrate our more theoretical classroom discussions with those real-world experiences. This is often when students have “ah ha!” moments.”

Day said she’s enjoyed the hands-on learning opportunity presented by the research. She was especially excited to use the surveying technology in a real-world setting.

“That’s how you can really learn skills that will help you later on down the road,” she said. “You can learn about it in class, but it really helps to go out there and do it.”

The showpiece of their research has been the ground-penetrating radar, a piece of equipment that uses radar pulses to depict the subterranean world. The images it presents are detailed, and it doesn’t disturb anything underground, making it a perfect tool for professional anthropologists who want to keep their research intact.

They’ve also used equipment familiar to many survey crews. Day and Garcia took turns using the stadia rod and a total station tripod to measure distances across the cemetery.

Once they’re finished, their research will present an accurate map of the cemetery grounds down to the yard.

“We want to be as close as possible,” Garcia said. “It seems like a lot of work, and there’s some trial-and-error, but it’s really enjoyable.”

Wilson said she’s overjoyed about all the assistance she’s received from UNF and is happy to chip in on the work when she can. She even brought Rakita and his students individually wrapped pieces of dark chocloate as they toiled away one afternoon.

“They’ve helped so much,” Wilson said. “They’re really great ambassadors for the University.”

Around Campus

MLK statue dedicated on campus

The University of North Florida is becoming a popular congregation point for some of the world’s most famous humanitarians.

Mahatma Gandhi was the first to make an appearance on UNF’s campus. And similar to the way he walked in his mentor’s footsteps, Martin Luther King Jr. has followed Gandhi to Northeast Florida.

A bronze statue of America’s most prominent Civil Rights activist was installed in late February mere feet from a statue of Gandhi that was placed on campus five years ago.

Measuring in at 8 feet tall and about 1,500 pounds, the sculpture is a sizable symbol of inspiration for the campus community, said Dr. Oupa Seane, director of UNF’s Intercultural Center for PEACE.

“Dr. King was undoubtedly an incredible human being, and this statue is a beautiful work of art that students and faculty alike will be able learn from,” Seane said. “It’s truly an edifying piece that will be a key component to many University conversations about peace and goodwill for years to come. That’s the spirit and character that we as a campus community wish to impart to our students and everyone else who becomes a part of our family.”

The Gandhi statue was the first sculpture of the famed humanitarian to be featured on a university campus, and the same will be true for the MLK installment. Both pieces were crafted by Jasu Shilpi, who is known as the Bronze Woman of India for her skill with the medium.

Seane said the planning for the MLK statue was initiated by Dr. Mauricio Gonzalez, vice president for Student and International Affairs, about five years ago.

The idea behind the statue was simple — bring a symbol of hope and equality to UNF on par with that of the Gandhi statue. President John Delaney agreed, and a project committee comprised of UNF and local leaders was formed.

But it took time. More than $60,000 has been raised for the project through private funds over the past half-decade, and all excess money has been earmarked for the University’s MLK Scholarship, which is open to UNF undergrad students.

Seane said support for the statue — and the scholarship — has come from multiple sources from around Jacksonville and across the globe. Donors include Cleve Warren, the Eartha M. White Legacy Fund, the Jacksonville Aviation Authority, the DuBow Family Foundation and Rev. Rudolph McKissick Sr.

Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a family friend of Seane’s who made stops at UNF in 1999 and 2003, also helped financially support the project.

“The outpouring of support for this project has been all-encompassing,” Seane said. “It’s really been a labor of love for all involved.”

Christine Bender, program assistant for the Intercultural Center for PEACE, said students are happy with the decision to bring MLK’s legacy to campus.

“I had a student tell me that having Gandhi across from MLK sends a positive message to all of campus,” Bender said. “It’s truly a transformational learning opportunity having the legacies of those two featured prominently at UNF.”

Seane said plans aren’t in place yet for a third statue to join Gandhi and MLK, but he said Gonzalez has already mentioned the next sculpture choice would be a woman.

“We have a lot of time to think about it,” Seane said. “We did a lot of work bringing Dr. King to UNF, so that will be hard to top. But we could always use more inspiration on campus.”

Around Campus

OneJax adds to UNF’s growing list of strategic affiliations

By Matt Coleman

The University of North Florida has added another community-focused outreach group to its growing stable of strategic affiliations.

OneJax, a Northeast Florida-based nonprofit interfaith organization that promotes respect and understanding among people of different religions, races and cultures will now be known as the OneJax Institute at the University of North Florida. Dr. Tom Serwatka, UNF vice president and chief of staff, said the University didn’t incur additional costs as a result of the affiliation.

The affiliation came about through collaboration between the OneJax Board of Directors and UNF. The Institute will be located at UNF Hall.

OneJax, which was founded in 1970, is dedicated to overcoming bias, bigotry and racism through education, community building and advocacy initiatives.

Executive Director Celeste Krueger said the organization will compliment services already provided to faculty, staff and students on campus through the Interfaith Center and the Intercultural Center for PEACE. OneJax will also focus on community advocacy and help extend the University’s reach off campus.

“The tremendous synergy in this affiliation made this the right move for us,” Krueger said. “We’re overjoyed to be a part of the UNF family.”

The OneJax Board of Directors will continue to guide the organization, with several seats on the Board added for UNF representatives. The Board will retain the responsibility of raising funds to support operations for OneJax.

“By bringing OneJax onto UNF’s campus, the University seeks to strengthen its community partnerships and play an even more significant role in Northeast Florida’s conversations on diversity and inclusion,” said President John A. Delaney.

Serwatka said the OneJax Institute affiliation follows in the tradition of other campus units, such as the Florida Institute of Education, the Center for Global Health and Medical Diplomacy and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Center for Ethics, Public Policy and the Professions.

The fruits of the affiliation were on display Tuesday, Feb. 28, when OneJax, in collaboration with the UNF Interfaith Center, presented the "Oneness of Humanity: On Common Ground" event at the University Center. Dr. Diana Eck, professor, lecturer and director of the Pluralism Project at Harvard University, discussed "The Power of Religion—Practical Pluralism in a World of Difference."

Around Campus

Joshi Scholarship established at UNF

The transformation of students takes a community to accomplish, and Joe and Sheila Joshi are two of this community’s newest donors who are making The Power of Transformation campaign a success.

The Joshis, through the Radha Devi Joshi Family Foundation, recently established an endowed scholarship in the Coggin College of Business out of a desire to give back to their new community in Jacksonville. Their gift to the University totaled $76,000.

Joshi and his wife recently moved to Jacksonville after he retired as president and chief executive officer of Systematic Financial Management in Teaneck, N.J. He said he became familiar with the Jacksonville area because Systematic had a sales office here. “Sheila and I enjoyed the weather and also wanted the opportunity to give back to the community,” he said.

UNF in particular caught Joshi’s attention. “The University and the Coggin College of Business in particular are gaining national recognition,” he said. “It is a growing institution which is attracting people who can make a difference.”

The scholarship was established for any academic discipline within the Coggin College of Business. Joshi has also volunteered there to offer students lessons from his years of experience in the financial industry.“Not only would I like to meet the scholarship recipients, but I also would be interested in offering the college my own knowledge from nearly 50 years of experience,” he said.

And experience is one thing Joshi has in abundance. A native of India, he came to the United States in 1967 at 21 seeking better opportunities. He already had bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Agra University in India but continued his education here by obtaining an M.B.A. from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, N.J.

Joshi’s investment career began with the Warner Lambert Company in 1972 as a senior internal auditor. Six years later he became director of pension investments. In 1986, he joined State House Capital Management where he served as managing director of equities. He later accepted a position at Mitchell Hutchins before going to Systematic in 1996. He retired from that company in 2011.

Dr. Ajay Samant, dean of the Coggin College of Business, met Joshi shortly after he relocated to Jacksonville.

“I was immediately impressed with Mr. Joshi’s breadth of experience and his willingness to give back to his newly adopted community,” Samant said. “His dedication to giving more young men and women an opportunity to obtain a quality business education is greatly appreciated by UNF.”

The public phase of UNF’s Power of Transformation campaign was launched in October of 2009 with a goal of $110 million. As of this month, nearly $105 million has been raised. It will officially end in December.

Briefs

And baby makes three

Tim Cheney, assistant director of research at the University of North Florida's Center for Community Initiatives, and his wife, Rachel, brought home a particularly special Christmas present this holiday.

The couple, both UNF graduates, had been waiting for six years for a child of their own. That changed Dec. 19 when Duval County Judge David Gooding presided over the adoption ceremony for their 1-year-old son, Gunner.

The Cheneys shared the moment — and the Duval County courtroom — with 13 other families and 19 other Jacksonville foster children. Gooding has made a tradition of the holiday adoption ceremony. He started it in 2004 and has helped unite dozens of Northeast Florida families with their newest members.

The Cheneys said they immediately knew Gunner was fated to be their son when they first met him.

“We’re so happy to be a family,” Tim said. “Since the ceremony, we’re now complete.”

Faculty & Staff

Brooks College of Health

Nursing: Dr. Margaret Holder and Cynthia Cummings presented on “What is QSEN and how can this bridge the gap between education and practice” to the JANIE, Jacksonville Association of Nurse Educators Jan. 19. They will also be presenting a poster and presentation, “From simulation to practice: Preparing students for the Real World” at the Sigma Theta Tau Research conference March 2.

Dr. Debra Wagner, M. Bear and N.S. Davidson published “Measuring patient satisfaction with postpartum teaching methods used by nurses within the Interaction Model of Client Health Behavior” in Research and Theory for Nursing Practice.

Public Health: Drs. Michelle Moore, Elissa Barr and Tammie Johnson presented “Support for school-based sexuality education: No longer just for high school students” at the 139th American Public Health Association Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.

Drs. James Churilla, Peter Magyari and Tammie Johnson published“Muscular Strengthening Activity Patterns and Metabolic Health Risk Among U.S. Adults” in the Journal of Diabetes.

Drs. Richmond Wynn and Sharon Wilburn received the Inaugural Diversity Research Award from the UNF Commission on Diversity and Inclusion for evaluation of the Metrotown Institute, a diversity training program for adolescents sponsored by OneJax.

Coggin College of Business

Marketing and Logistics: Dr. Greg Gundlach co-authored an article published in the Antitrust Bulletin titled “Symposium: New Perspectives on Systems Competition.”

Dr. A. Coskun Samli co-authored a chapter in the book, “Strategic International Marketing — An Advanced Perspective,” titled “An analysis of the people dimension in international marketing.”

College of Arts & Sciences

Art and Design: Dr. Nofa Dixon had work exhibited in the juried show of the Northeast Florida Sculptors Group, South Campus at Florida State College. Dixon’s students also completed the second of three murals installed on the second floor of Building 2.

Dr. Jenny Hager presented the paper “Wind Weaver and the Whirling Wheel” at the SECAC Conference in Savannah in November.

Dr. Elizabeth Heuer curated the exhibition and authored the catalog for the exhibition “Eugene F. Savage: The Seminole Paintings” for the Cummer Museum in Jacksonville.

Dr. Paul Karabinis was on a panel presentation called, “Art Survival: Art Majors and Professional Practice,” at the Southeast College Art Association Annual Conference in Savannah, Ga.

Dr. Dominick Martorelli’s photograph“Venus with the Dark Face” was selected for exhibition and e-publication in the juried show for the 2011 Eros Award.

Dr. Debra Murphy completed her final year as president of the Southeastern College Art Conference at the annual meetings in Savannah from Nov. 8-12. She also presented a paper “Images of Violence, Suffering and Unrest: Hope McMath’s Responses to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”

Chemisty: Dr. Michael W. Lufaso, in collaboration with Z.R. Kann; J.T. Auletta; E.W. Hearn; S.U. Weber, K.D. Becker; and H. Schneider, published the article “Mixed Crystal Formation and Structural Studies in the Mullite-type System Bi2Fe4O9–Bi2Mn4O10” in the “Journal of Solid State Chemistry.”

Dr. Thomas Mullen gave a presentation “Nearfield Scanning Optical Microscopy Characterization of Arrays of Rare Earth Based Nanocrystals” at the Federation of Analytical Chemistry and Spectroscopy Societies National Meeting in Reno, Nev. in October.

Dr. Amy Lane received one of the COAS Dean’s Leadership Council Faculty Fellowship awards for 2011-2012 in December.

Dr. Kenneth Laali and Dr. Aridoss Gopalakrishnan published the paper Condensation of Propargylic Alcohols with 1,3-Dicarbonyl Compounds and 4-Hydroxycoumarins in Ionic Liquids (ILs)” in Tetrahedron Letters.“

Laali and Dr. Rajesh Kalkhambkar published the paper “Pd(OAc)2-catalyzed cross-coupling of polyfluoroarenes with simple aromatics in imidazolium ionic liquids (ILs) without oxidant and additive and with recycling/reuse of the IL” in Tetrahedron Letters.

Communication:Dr. John Parmelee published a book, titled “Politics and the Twitter Revolution: How Tweets Influences the Relationship between Political Leaders and the Public.”

Drs. Jennifer Lemanski and Hyung-SeokLee published “Attitude Certainty and Resistance to Persuasion: Investigating the Impact of Source Trustworthiness in Advertising,” in the International Journal of Business and Social Science.

English: Dr. Clark Lunberry was interviewed for the New York-based on-line journal Videoart.net on his recent environmental poetry installations at the Institut Charles V — Université Paris Diderot and at UNF.

Dr. Marcus Pactor’s story, “Hoping to,” originally published in Conte: A Journal of Narrative Writing in September was nominated for a Pushcart Prize.

Languages, Literatures and Cultures: Dr. Clayton McCarl has published an edition, with introduction and notes, of Francisco de Seyxas y Lovera’s 1693 manuscript text “Piratas y contrabandistas de ambas Indias, y estado presente de ellas” published by The Fundación Barrié de la Maza based in La Coruña, Spain.

Music: Lynne Arriale’s CD, “Convergence” was: No. 4 on National Jazz Week Radio Chart, listed on the Top 50 CDs of 2011 by JazzTimes and included in journalist Ken Frankling’s “Jazz Notes” Ten Best New Jazz Releases of 2011. Arriale's “Dance of the Rain” also made Frankling's 10 Best New Songs of 2011 list, became one of Jazz Police’s Essential CDs of 2011 and won the SESAC 2012 National Performance Activity Award.

Dr. Nick Curry was a featured soloist with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra in the Jacksonville Arena in December. He also performed on the WJXT Channel 4 morning show and he presented “Practicing Intonation on a String Instrument” at the College Music Society’s regional conference in February.

The UNF Trumpet Ensemble, directed by Dr. Randy Tinnin performed at the Trumpet Festival of the Southeast at the University of Georgia Jan. 14.

Sociology and Anthropology: Dr. Gordon Rakita published, with Christine S. VanPool, Todd L. VanPool, and Sarah Sterling, “An Introduction to the 76 Draw Site, Luna County, New Mexico” in “Patterns in Transition: Papers from the 16th Biennial Jornada Mogollon Conference.” He also published a review of “Death in the New World: Cross-Cultural Encounters, 1492-1800” by Erik R. Seeman in the journal Historical Archaeology.

Dr. Jenny Stuber had her co-authored article, “Social Status, Values, and Support for Reform in Education Reference” in the latest issue of The Social Science Journal.

Dr. Suzanne Simon published “Waste in the Margins of the State: Negative Externalities and the Production of the U.S.-Mexico Border Region” in the Fall/Winter 2011 Special Issue of the North Eastern Anthropological Association Bulletin. She also presented a conference paper entitled “Failed State? Mexico’s Drug Wars Against the Background of ‘Dual Transition’” at the American Anthropological Association’s Annual Meetings in Montreal, Quebec in November.

College of Computing, Engineering & Construction

Computing: Dr. Sanjay P. Ahuja and William Shore published their paper, “Wireless Transport Layer Congestion Control Evaluation,” in the International Journal of Wireless Networks and Broadband Technologies in December. Also, Ahuja was appointed associate editor of the International Journal of Wireless Networks and Broadband Technologies. He is also currently serving on the International Editorial Review Board of the International Journal of Cloud Applications and Computing.

Dr. Ching-Hua Chuan attended the instructor’s summit on Botball Educational Robotics, KISS Institute for Practical Robotics in January. Also, Chuanwas invited to speak on “Computational Music Research: How Mathematics and AI Is Now Part of Your Everyday Musical Experiences” in the Joe Berg Seminar at the Museum of Science & History in January.

Albert D. Ritzhaupt,Dr. Karthikeyan Umapathy and Lisa Jamba published their paper, “A Study on Services Motivating Computing Professional Association Membership” in the International Journal of Human Capital and Information Technology Professionals in January.

Dr. Karthikeyan Umapathy will serve as a Co-PI on a research grant involving a U.S. and Canadian team on “Digging into Human Rights Violations: Anaphora Resolution and Emergent Witnesses.” The research objective is to develop a methodology to perform automated analysis of large-scale archives of human rights abuses that will reconstruct stories from fragments scattered across a collection and an interface for navigating those stories. The UNF sub award is for $36,883.

Drs. Charles Winton and Ching-Hua Chuan gave a two-day workshop for the high school teams in Jacksonville in preparation for the 2012 Botball Competition in January at UNF.

Construction Management: Dr. Roberto Soares published his paper, “Biomass — The Smart Way to Reach Fuel Independence,” in the International Journal of Business and Social Science in January. Soares also published a paper, “Change Orders Ordeal: The Output of Project Disintegration,” in the International Journal of Business, Humanities and Technology in January.

Mr. James Sorce, Dr. Mag Malek and Jose J. Murcia published their paper, “Overview of Emerging Technological Innovations in Construction Management,” in the American Institute of Constructors Journal, The American Professional Constructor in January.

Engineering: Dr. Chiu Choi received an International Faculty Travel Grant to travel to Hong Kong to develop a study-abroad course. Also, Choi has been selected to be a UNF STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Fellow. In this role, he will integrate service learning into STEM courses that he teaches.

Dr. Adel El Safty received an International Faculty Travel grant to travel to Italy to develop a study-abroad course.

Fan Xiong, Murat M. Tanik, and Dr. Susan Vasana published their paper, “Visual Analysis of a Cardiovascular System Based on ECG and ABP Signals Using Evolvable Hardware Design,” in the Society for Design and Process Science Transactions’ Journal of Integrated Design and Process Science in December.

College of Education & Human Services

Childhood Education: Dr. Gigi Morales David was invited for an author visit to Mill Creek Elementary Jan. 23 to kick off the Vietnamese New Year with her picture book “The Little Red Envelopes.” In addition, she introduced the 4th graders at Mill Creek to her new character, “Composition Cat,” inspired by the artwork of Laurel Burch. Composition Cat was designed to help 4th graders succeed on the FCAT Writes. Each 4th grade teacher was given a stencil of the cat figure so they could design their own cat with nine important things to remember about successful writing —because cats are well known to have nine lives.

Dr. Stacy Keller recently had an article published in the journal Dimensions in Mathematics entitled “Reasoning and proof in the classroom: What’s your angle, Pythagoras? A math adventure.”

Dr. Christine Weber had an article published with colleagues titled “A comprehensive plan for differentiating the training of teachers of the gifted online at the state, district and university level in Florida, USA” in the January 2012 issue of Gifted Education International.

Exceptional Student and Deaf Education:Dr. Kristine Webb co-edited the “Handbook of Adolescent Transition Education for Youth with Disabilities.” The handbook is a comprehensive resource to stakeholders who facilitate transition to adulthood for adolescents and young adults with disabilities.

Leadership, School Counseling & Sport Management: Dr. Cavanaugh has received a $2,000 Transformational Learning Opportunity grant to take students to the Eastern Educational Research Association Conference in South Carolina and the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education Conference in Texas. There, they will attend conference sessions and make a presentation on their project that retrofitted a shipping container into a computer- and network-enhanced classroom in the Dominican Republic.

Foundations and Secondary Education:

Office of the Dean: Dean Larry Daniel received the FACTE Leadership Award at the January conference of the Florida Association of Colleges in Teacher Education. Daniel was given this prestigious award for his distinguished service, inspirational leadership and advocacy for Quality Teacher Education in Florida and the Nation. At the same conference, Dr. Marsha Lupi, Kelly Turner and Amy Warren (graduate research assistants), presented the results of a state-wide survey on clinical field experiences in Florida colleges and universities. The results indicated that state-wide, four-year traditional undergraduate programs provide pre-service teachers with extensive field experiences among other information.

Dr. Marsha Lupi, Dr. Jacque Batey and Kelly Turner recently learned of the acceptance of a third article written on the transformational learning and knowledge of the students who have participated in the Plymouth, England short-term student teaching internships since 2007. The article entitled, “Crossing Cultures: U.S. Students Teacher Observations of Pedagogy, Learning and Practice in Plymouth, U.K. schools” will be published in the Journal of Education and Training in November.

Student Affairs

The University of North Florida’s Division of Student Affairs recently published a best practices manuscript titled, “Student Affairs for All Seasons and All Reasons: Leadership by Example.” The book is now available for $39.50 from the manuscript’s publisher, Administrator’s Bookshelf, at http://adminbookshelf.com/bookshelf/. It will also be available in the UNF Bookstore, located in the Student Union, Building 58 West, on campus. All proceeds and royalties from book sales will go into a Student Affairs scholarship fund for UNF students.

Get to Know

Barbara J. Olinzock

Department: School of Nursing, Brooks College of Health

Job title: Associate Professor

What do you do?

I clinically supervise nursing students in their psychiatric-mental health nursing rotations. I teach in the research nursing science sequence for undergraduate pre-licensure and RN-BSN students. I also teach in the area of chronic illnesses and disabilities in the RN-BSN Program.

Years at UNF: 16 years

Tell us about your family.

My husband is a retired Navy dentist and has a dental practice locally. In 2011, we celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary. I have two adult children, Jennette and Justin, a son-in-law, Evan, and two frisky grandchildren, Hannah, 6, and Caleb, 3. My husband has nine siblings so we also have a large extended family scattered throughout Michigan and the West Coast and love to visit them whenever we can.

If you could choose any other career, what would it be and why?

I would still be a teacher of something. I love teaching as you learn as much as you teach. It would definitely have to be a career with people interaction. I am fortunate my career has allowed me to be a nurse and a teacher.

What would you like to do when you retire?

I want to keep learning, whether it be learning about other places or cultures through travel. I loved the Navy life for that reason. I want to pursue some volunteer opportunities. Beyond that I want to learn about the arts. I would love to take an art history course and drawing or painting classes. It is time to explore my right brain.

What is your favorite thing about working at UNF?

Working at UNF has been wonderful. Foremost, I love the work environment — especially in the Brooks College of Health. I have never worked with a more dedicated professional and innovative group of individuals. It has been a privilege to be a part of the nursing program and the Brooks College of Health. Watching the University grow over the years has been amazing.

What is the best thing you ever won?

I was fortunate to receive the American Association of Spinal Cord Injury Nursing (AASCIN) Article of the Year in 2005 and again in 2008 for my research publications in the area of patient education and spinal cord injuries. To receive this affirmation of my work was so appreciated.

If you won the lottery, what would do with the money?

This would be sheer fantasy as I never buy lottery tickets but here goes. I would buy a yacht and hire a crew and travel. Maybe Shad Khan’s yacht? I would definitely want an oceanside dream house or more spectacularly an island of my own somewhere out in the Pacific Ocean.

I know I would not get too distracted and remember my roots and endow support for a College of Nursing at UNF!

If you were not working at UNF, what would you be doing?

I would definitely be seeking opportunities with some of the non-profits in town. I like to work outside hospital walls and love new challenges. Again, on the fun side, I’d ride my beach cruiser bicycle on the beach more often and work out.

What is your favorite way to blow an hour?

Talking or catching up with family and friends on the phone or through texting or e-mail.

What was the best money you ever spent?

Anything to do with educational expenses. At each level of education, new opportunities became available for me. On the practical side — my first washing machine and dryer.

What is the proudest/happiest moment of your life?

My wedding day, having children, being the proud mother of the bride, the births of my grandchildren, and earning my doctorate in Educational Leadership! Each of these life events proved exciting beyond words.

Tell us something that would surprise people to know about you:

Although I may come across as settled, privately I love adventure and need challenges. I love excitement. I don’t see the adventures ending yet.

What was the first concert you ever attended, and what was the most recent concert you attended?

If you can you believe, it my first concert was The Beatles! I still enjoy the oldies but goodies — Neil Diamond and Rod Stewart.

What person had the greatest impact on your life?

Without a doubt, my husband. He has shared in this wonderful adventure of marriage. He has always encouraged me in my career choices. I also credit my nursing professors in my BSN program at Wayne State University in Detroit way back when for being such wonderful mentors who I still aspire to this day.

What are you most passionate about?

Definitely my work. I take enormous pride in being a professor at UNF and want to be the best role model I can be with students.

Who is the most famous person you ever met?

More recently it was Patty Duke. She is an Academy Award actress who I remembered from my youth. She was invited to a Brooks College of Health event and I had an opportunity to speak with her on a personal level. She has become a spokesperson and advocate for those with mental disorders. As a psychiatric-mental health nurse, I found her willingness as a celebrity to talk so frankly on her own personal journey managing bipolar disorder inspiring.

Tell us something about you that even your friends don’t know:

I am fairly open about my life including the ups and downs, especially with close colleagues and friends. If my friends don’t know about something, then it shouldn’t be shared.

What do you hope to accomplish that you have not done yet?

I have had the exciting privilege of traveling in Asia and living on the island of Guam but only limited travel in Europe. My dream is to go on an extensive trip and really experience Europe beyond that of a typical tourist.

Dateline

Milestone anniversaries

Congratulations to the following employees who will celebrate a milestone anniversary at UNF in March:

30 yearsJanice Donaldson, Director of the Small Business Development Center, Small Business Development Center25 yearsRosalyn Gilbert, Executive Secretary, Office of Research and Sponsored Programs15 yearsDecato Burke, Coordinator of Instructional Technology, User Services

Dr. Jeffrey Michelman (Accounting and Finance), “Mobility Project to Advance the Transatlantic Business School Alliances,” University of North Carolina at Wilmington / U.S. Department of Education, $19,500

Dr. Janice Donaldson (Small Business Development Center), “Florida Small Business Development Network 2012,” University of West Florida / U.S. Small Business Administration, $1,652,052, and “Small Business Technical Assistance to the City of Jacksonville,” City of Jacksonville, $98,940

The Goods

Americans love their morning oats

Russia and Canada may be top producers of the hearty grain, but Americans love their morning oats, too. Dr. Jackie Shank, undergraduate nutrition program director in the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics Flagship Program, and Brittaney Bialas, a graduate student and dietetics intern, discuss myths and facts about this nutritious and versatile grain. To help include more oats in your diet, a recipe has been provided.Myth: Oats are boring.

Fact: The cereal grain oats, or Avena sativa, are wonderfully versatile and delicious. Oats can be rolled, crushed or chopped into oatmeal, ground into flour for breads and cookies, and included as an ingredient in muesli and granola. Australia, Denmark and Scotland all brew beers made of oats. And people in many Latin American countries enjoy refreshing drinks made from oats, fruit and sometimes sugar and cinnamon.Myth: Steel-cut oats are healthier than instant oats.

Fact: Both types of oats are healthful whole grains — they differ in the cooking time and the glycemic index, an indication of the speed at which the starches turn to sugar and raise the blood-sugar level. Steel-cut oats are named after the sharp steel discs that cut each kernel into two or three pieces. Instant oats are rolled very thin and cut into much smaller pieces. Compared to steel-cut oats, instant oats cook quickly and are easily digested with a speedy release of sugars into the blood. To lower the glycemic index of instant oats, add some protein (low-fat milk) or fat (nuts) to the oatmeal. It’s best to buy plain oatmeal and add your own accompaniments such as fruit, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, ground flaxseeds, cinnamon or brown sugar. Myth: Oats are gluten-free.

Fact: Oats don’t naturally contain gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. However, oats are often grown in fields with gluten-containing grains nearby. Furthermore, shared equipment for harvesting and processing different grains can ultimately lead to contamination of oats with gluten. People requiring a strict gluten-free diet, such as those with celiac disease, should seek out companies that offer guaranteed gluten-free oats.

Myth: Oats contain soluble fiber, which relieves constipation. Fact: Oats contain the highest amount of soluble fiber of any grain. However, soluble fiber is best known for its cholesterol-lowering effects, not for promoting regularity. Insoluble fiber is the type that most benefits the digestive system. This fiber attracts water and adds bulk to stool, helping to relieve constipation. Insoluble fiber is found in wheat bran, nuts, apples and many vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, leafy greens and bell peppers. To maintain a stellar digestive system as well as good heart health, aim to consume at least 25 grams of total dietary fiber from both soluble and insoluble sources.

Myth: Irish oats are superior to all other oats but are hard to find in the U.S.

Fact: Irish oats are simply another name for steel-cut oats. They’re also called “coarse” and “pinhead” oats, and are available in most grocery stores. They’re a good option for people with diabetes because during digestion, the sugars are released at a moderate rate, therefore, a large spike in blood-sugar levels and insulin can be avoided.

Instructions:1. In a nonstick skillet, cook peppers, mushrooms, green onions and garlic in oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender (about two minutes). 2. In a large bowl, mix oats and egg whites until oats are evenly coated. Add oats to vegetable mixture in skillet.3. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until oats are dry and separated (about five to six minutes). Add broth, basil, salt and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for two to three minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Serve immediately.

The Goods is a monthly column about food myths and facts by faculty members in the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics Flagship Program and runs in The Florida Times-Union’s “Taste” section. Have a question about oats? Contact Shank at jshank@unf.edu.

Briefs

Healthy Osprey: Make movement a group activity

Humans are by nature social beings.

If you’re having a hard time staying motivated to exercise, you might want to gather some health buddies. Go to the gym, and it’s called a workout. Meet up with a group in a field, and it’s called a game. Sports psychologists know that psychological factors affect performance and participation in physical activities.

Group activities such as dancing have been a longtime practice of human cultures for centuries. Exercise in a group can lead to a powerful commitment and a long-lasting practice.

People who share a common direction and sense of community can reach their goals more quickly when they are working together as a team. The group dynamic creates ongoing encouragement and helps us accept help and lend support to others in return.

For more ideas about how to become a Healthy Osprey, check out this month’s newsletter here.Healthy Osprey is designed to provide solid advice on how to become more healthy at work and at home. Shelly Purser, director of Health Promotions, and Mike Kennedy, assistant director of Health Promotions, will write a different article each month that will focus on some aspect of health and wellness. Healthy Osprey is a collaboration of students, faculty and staff working together to foster a University community that embraces the development of a healthy body, mind and spirit. The purpose of the Healthy Osprey initiative is to assess and respond to the needs of the UNF community to create and maintain a healthy environment, which will enhance the holistic student experience. For more information, contact Shelly Purser at spurser@unf.edu.